worry

[ wur-ee, wuhr-ee ]

/ ˈwɜr i, ˈwʌr i /

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See synonyms for: worry / worried / worries / worrying on Thesaurus.com

verb (used without object), wor·ried, wor·ry·ing.

to torment oneself with or suffer from disturbing thoughts; fret.

to move with effort: an old car worrying uphill.

verb (used with object), wor·ried, wor·ry·ing.

to torment with cares, anxieties, etc.; trouble; plague.

to seize, especially by the throat, with the teeth and shake or mangle, as one animal does another.

to harass by repeated biting, snapping, etc.

noun, plural wor·ries.

a worried condition or feeling; uneasiness or anxiety.

a cause of uneasiness or anxiety; trouble.

the act of worrying.

Fox Hunting. the action of the hounds in tearing to pieces the carcass of a fox.

Verb Phrases

worry along / through Informal. to progress or succeed by constant effort, despite difficulty: to worry through an intolerable situation.

SYNONYMS FOR worry

3 tease, harry, hector, badger, distress.

6 apprehension, solicitude, disquiet, misgiving, fear.

See synonyms for worry on Thesaurus.com

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“Was” is used for the indicative past tense of “to be,” and “were” is only used for the subjunctive past tense.

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Idioms for worry

no worries, Informal.

Don’t be worried or troubled; everything will be fine: We'll help you move your stuff, no worries!
(used as a conventional reply to thank you or thanks): Oh, no worries, it was fun having you come with us!

Also not to worry .

Origin of worry

First recorded before 900; Middle English weryen, werwen, wyrwyn “to strangle, bite, harass,” Old English wyrgan “to strangle”; cognate with German würgen

synonym study for worry

3. Worry, annoy, harass all mean to disturb or interfere with someone's comfort or peace of mind. To worry is to cause anxiety, apprehension, or care: to worry one's parents. To annoy is to vex or irritate by continued repetition of interferences: to annoy the neighbors. Harass implies long-continued disturbance, torment, or persecution: to harrass a creditor.

OTHER WORDS FROM worry

wor·ri·er, nounwor·ri·less, adjectivewor·ry·ing·ly, adverb

Words nearby worry

worried sick, worried well, worriment, worrisome, worrit, worry, worry beads, worryguts, worrywart, worse, worse for wear

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

WHEN TO USE

What are other ways to say worry?

The noun worry means “a worried condition or feeling.” How does worry compare to synonyms care and concern? Learn more on Thesaurus.com.

Example sentences from the Web for worry

I have no worries about slinging it around camp or strapping it to the roof rack if space is tight in the car.
The Matador SEG42 Offers Unrivaled Gear Organization|Graham Averill|August 25, 2020|Outside Online
It helps that EU lawmakers have already agreed to a giant stimulus spending package for the trading bloc, so that worry is off the table.
Investors continue to push global stocks into record territory|Bernhard Warner|August 24, 2020|Fortune
McMansions are back, in a big way, given the trend toward remote work — and thus the need for office space at home, and no worries about long commutes.
Sunday Magazine: A World in Need|Daniel Malloy|August 16, 2020|Ozy
The worry for influencers is whether their audiences would follow them over to Triller if they switched.
WTF is Triller?|Seb Joseph|August 14, 2020|Digiday

Then I could cheerfully traipse from my backyard to a neighbor’s driveway and then on to a dark corner booth somewhere with no worries.
Every Decision Is A Risk. Every Risk Is A Decision.|Maggie Koerth (maggie.koerth-baker@fivethirtyeight.com)|July 21, 2020|FiveThirtyEight
Still, I worry that a simple traffic stop could have tragic consequences.
What Would Happen if I Got in White Cop’s Face?|Goldie Taylor|December 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
And the authorities also worry that the December fires are just the beginning.
Italy’s Terror on the Tracks|Barbie Latza Nadeau|December 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But in the days ahead he, his brother, and the others will be back in the street while their families worry at home.
Choking Back Tears, Thousands of Cops Honor Fallen Officer Ramos|Michael Daly|December 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
I wish this was the last time I had to worry about hunger and bombs.
Has the Kurdish Victory at Sinjar Turned the Tide of ISIS War?|Niqash|December 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
This is a well-documented phenomenon which does not worry specialists.
Uh Oh: Ebola Vaccine Trials Stop|Leigh Cowart|December 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In sheer nervousness, Hilda also dropped to her knees on the hearthrug, and began to worry the fire with the poker.
Hilda Lessways|Arnold Bennett
His only worry at the time lay in the dark sky above and the blue-white stabs of lightning that promised an electrical storm.
Hooded Detective, Volume III No. 2, January, 1942|Various
No, there was nothing to worry about as long as that relentless hunter of criminals known as the Black Hood kept off their tail.
Hooded Detective, Volume III No. 2, January, 1942|Various
I should worry if Burd has a dozen maiden aunts,” observed Amy scornfully, “and they all knitted him red wristlets!
The Campfire Girls of Roselawn|Margaret Penrose
Matt began to appreciate the difficulties ahead of him and to worry a little about the outcome.
Motor Matt's "Century" Run|Stanley R. Matthews

British Dictionary definitions for worry

worry

/ (ˈwʌrɪ) /

verb -ries, -rying or -ried

to be or cause to be anxious or uneasy, esp about something uncertain or potentially dangerous

(tr) to disturb the peace of mind of; botherdon't worry me with trivialities

(intr; often foll by along or through) to proceed despite difficulties

(intr often foll by away) to struggle or workto worry away at a problem

(tr) (of a dog, wolf, etc) to lacerate or kill by biting, shaking, etc

(when intr, foll by at) to bite, tear, or gnaw (at) with the teetha dog worrying a bone

(tr) to move as specified, esp by repeated pushesthey worried the log into the river

(tr) to touch or poke repeatedly and idly

obsolete to choke or cause to choke

not to worry informal you need not worry

noun plural -ries

a state or feeling of anxiety

a person or thing that causes anxiety

an act of worrying

no worries informal an expression used to express agreement or to convey that something is proceeding or has proceeded satisfactorily; no problem

Derived forms of worry

worrying, adjectiveworryingly, adverb

Word Origin for worry

Old English wyrgan; related to Old Frisian wergia to kill, Old High German wurgen (German (er) würgen to strangle), Old Norse virgill, urga rope

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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worry

verb (used without object), wor·ried, wor·ry·ing.